New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-23
LINCOLN, GRAVE AND GAY.
sKETCHED BY EX-REPRESENTATIvE BRAN
DEGEE.
TIE PRESIDENTS DEALINGS WITH CONTRACTORS
AND OFFIcE-sEEKERs-A PICTURESQUE
DANCE AT MIDNIGHT,

DANCE AT MIDNIGHT.
hrst saw MIR. Lincoln in the summer OF 1868.
mad been elected in the spring OF that year to
inc AAAVllIth Congress, and visited Washington
some Time In June to look up quarters for the
coming December session / stopped OF Wizards
on Pennsylvaniaave, then kept by Sykes
Chadwick. The corridors Of the hotel were
crowded with officers leave, oflicc-secl1ers con-
tractors and jobbers-the swarm which always
gathers around the hive of the Treasury. The
most conspicuous figure, and one Of the most re-
markable ever saw, Horato Ames an iron
founder of Fails Village, Conn., a brother OF Cakes
Ames, that Massachusetts member whose men,
o1able little black pocket diary aftcrward proved
"thc DoOmsday Book to so many ambitious states
men, Horatio was q man of tremendous proper
tions-weighing over 800 POUNDS avoirdupos,
standing six feet six in his stockings. with his
broad brimmed hat and "shadbelled' coat, he
looked for all the world like O gigantic Quaker
from Brobdignag. Ills voice was set to o shrfll
treble, and on occasions he would pour forth a
vollcy Of explosives which belied his peaceful
appearance and outrivalcd the exploits Of "our
army in Flanders He claimed to have invented
process Of forging wrought iron cannon Of heavy
calibre, by subjecting the molten metal to the
impact OF two immense trip hammers. which with
characteristic grim humor he had named respect
lively Thor and "Odin." One OF these guns
had been on trial for months at the Washington
Navy Yard in competitive test with n cast iron
gun OF the Dahlgren pattern; OF which Admiral,
then Commodore, Dahlgrcn claimed to be tic
inventor.
Amcs complained that though his guns had been
subjected to unfair tests by Dahlgrcn who wes
then chief Of the Ordnance Bureau and though
It had withstood all attempts to burst it-whlc tho
Dahlgren guns had burst like glass botles-yet
he could neither get a report in his favor nor
authentic record OF the experiments. just about
this time the bursting of a number Of cast iron
guns war vessels. the killing of numbers
of the crew and demoralizing others, had brought
the question OF improved naval ordnance into
National importance. Ames discovered that
was ono Of the newly elected Connecticutmembers.
and insisted that in the absence Of his own i'm
| mediate representative IL my duty TO present
his appeal to President Lincoln. / did not
banker after the job TO use OF the express
svc phrases of Mr.. Lincoln. had never seen tho
President-nor indeed any Presdcnt-anl
naturally felt little reluctance in making my
first acquaintance under convoy Of contractor
But Ames was not the man TO stand upon etiquette
and / finally yielded to his Importantly on con
dition that an interview should be arranged with
Mr.. Lincolns approval. This was effected through
Pet IIalstead OF those mysterious char
acters who in those days fitted around Washing
ton and seemed 10 have the "open sesame TO the
White House. l sent In my card through Colonel
Nicolsy who presided in tho ante-room. and with
out delay was ushered by him To the presence Of
Mr. Lincoln
Every one knows the general appearance OF Mr..
Lincoln. There are many pictures. med
ais, statues and pen portraits in existence, that
II is probable that no generation OF Americans
will ever be without ample material for forming
toleraby accurate Idea OF tho appearance Of that
wonderful That ho was tall. swsttly. awk- |
ward and unconventional In dress and manner, are
the broad outlines OF any conception Of him. But
who has not stood face TO face with the |
man can ever realize life-like idea Of the |
great original. As he and seemed to keep on |
rsing-Deforc me, his hair was black, coarse AMI /
Of unkempt appearance, his prominent |
his check bones high his cheeks very hollow
his complexion swarthy, his manner gracious but |
subd led. while his eyes had expression that
find myself incapable OF describing, though |
they lay in ambush in their deep caverns ready
to spring forth retreat further within, oc-
CASTOR required. lie awkward, but IL
the awkwsrdncss OF nature, which IL akin 10 grace.
The expression OF HIS face was earnest with O
shade OF sadness. and his voice soft, and al
times as tender a. a womans
had prepared what 1 thought n neat little
speech OF introduction. but he at once put my
rhetoric and embarrassment TO fight by taking me
by the hand and saying. "Well, what does little
Connecticut want?
Tho tone tho familiar address the friendly
manner, the gracious smile at once put me at my
ease, and | stated my to friend, and
almost an equal. As 1 proceeded with gathering
warmth commenting upon the unfairncss OF sub
hitting the Connecticut invention to u rival gun
maker, the unfricndy tests adopted and the
,f l.frh In
more execution at the muzzle than ut the brecch,
Mr.. Lincoln listened with evident interest. Ames
had stated that q record existed OF the various ,
charges, the number OF 6rings. and the respective
results TO each gun, and that IL would vindlcate
ALL he claimed. but he had been denied access 10 !
H. Mr. Lincoln closed the interview by request
Ing me To procure 10, and bring il 10 him nj :
o'clock that evening And to my suggestion that \
was unknown at the department., he took an [
Executive envelope from bundle which lay v
always on his table and wrote the following A
" Let Mr. -, OF Connecticut, have q copy OF such
record he indicates. A. Lincoln
Armed with this concise but persuasive Exccu
i've message, we visited the Navy Department II y
where We waited In the ante room for more than :,
wo hours for tho arrival OF Commodore Dslilgren r,
Who was said to be absent hmcs well known II
It that bureau which he had bcsieged for months II
md where he had become such terror 10 the q
employees that he himself expressed IT, he
never received common civfity-even Of the com "
noncst kind Suspecting after O while THAI ~
absence rather conventional tfan n
Atua we at last pushed by the janitor into the to
hief's room, where found him calmly wrItlnS h,
his desk, where he had probably been from the sc
commencement My request for q copy Oh inc
eport curly refused, until | produced 'he W
nvclopo with tho unmStakable sign manua' Vi ~ u,
he President causing az much CONSERVATION aS n
hough OF Dahlgrcn's own guns had bufs1 III |
is own department. We got what we wanted anu 81
Dos 1t TO the President that evening according " c.
ppointment. ca
shall never forget a homely Incident which 81